Decorative stitch type and method of and apparatus for producing same

Abstract

A new stitch type and a method of and an apparatus for making same in which the loop is passed through the fabric through one hole and is returned through another hole and then is passed around a thread supply eye so that the body of the loop engages a single strand of the thread which twists around this loop and is drawn into the second hole. Such pairs of holes are spaced along the seam so that on one side of the fabric the stitches are spaced apart, i.e. the thread is alternately visible and invisible whereas on the opposite side the thread is continuously visible.

I claim: 
     
       1. A stitch type which comprises a single thread having respective loops each passing from one side of a fabric through a first hole of pairs of holes spaced along said fabric onto the opposite side thereof and returning at least partially through a second hole of each pair so that a bight of each loop engages around a single strand of the thread running from the second hole of one pair of the first hole of another pair of holes along said fabric whereby the stitch thread is visible between the holes of each pair on said other side of said fabric and the thread is invisible between said pairs of holes on said other side of said fabric. 
     
     
       2. The stitch type defined in claim 1 wherein said single strand is twisted with each loop in the region of the second hole of each pair. 
     
     
       3. The stitch type defined in claim 2 wherein the twist of each strand with each loop is disposed within the second hole of the respective pair. 
     
     
       4. A method of producing a stitch type as defined in claim 1 which comprises the steps of: retaining a thread portion spaced from a thread supply disposed at one side of a workpiece to be stitched;   forming a loop between said portion and the thread supply;   piercing said workpiece and entraining said loop through a hole thus formed in the workpiece to the opposite side thereof;   drawing out said loop at said opposite side of said workpiece;   thereafter piercing said workpiece at a location spaced from said hole to thereby form a second hole in said workpiece and entraining said loop from said other side to said one side of said workpiece;   passing said loop on said one side of said workpiece around said thread supply to thereby engage said loop around a single strand of said thread and twist said single strand with said loop and thereby form a stitch; and   repeating the aforesaid steps to form a stitch seam with said thread visible only at spaced apart locations on said other side of said workpiece.   
     
     
       5. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising the step of braking said thread supply as said thread is drawn therefrom. 
     
     
       6. The method defined in claim 4 wherein the entire amount of thread needed for the formation of said stitch is pulled following the passage of the thread loop through said workpiece via the first mentioned hole from said thread supply, and excess thread is taken up during passage of loop around the single strand of thread to form a twist between said single strand and said loop. 
     
     
       7. In a sewing maching for producing a stitch by retaining a thread portion spaced from a thread supply disposed at one side of a workpiece to be stitched; forming a loop between said portion and the thread supply;   piercing said workpiece and entraining said loop through a hole thus formed in the workpiece to the opposite side thereof;   drawing out said loop at said opposite side of said workpiece;   thereafter piercing said workpiece at a location spaced from said hole to thereby form a second hole in said workpiece and entraining said loop from said other side to said one side of said workpiece;   passing said loop on said one side of said workpiece around said thread supply to thereby engage said loop around a single strand of said thread and twist said single strand with said loop and thereby form a stitch; and   repeating the aforesaid steps to form a stitch seam with said thread visible only at spaced apart locations on said other side of said workpiece and wherein an oscillatingly propelled needle pierces said workpiece and has an open eye and cooperates with a thread loop catcher operated synchronously with the needle and a tool for inserting the thread into said eye, the improvement wherein said thread loop catcher guides the thread loop on said one side of said workpiece around the entire thread supply.   
     
     
       8. The sewing machine defined in claim 7 wherein said thread supply is a coil and said thread loop catcher includes a gripper orbiting the axis of said coil. 
     
     
       9. The sewing machine defined in claim 7 wherein said thread supply is provided on a shuttle which carries the thread supply through said loop. 
     
     
       10. The sewing machine defined in claim 7, further comprising a first control means on said one side of said workpiece for tightening said twist and controlling the quantity of thread adapted to form said loop. 
     
     
       11. The sewing machine defined in claim 10 wherein said first control means comprises a pivotal arm and a hook formed at the end of said arm and engageable with said thread. 
     
     
       12. The sewing machine defined in claim 11 wherein said arm is pivotable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said needle. 
     
     
       13. The sewing machine defined in claim 10, further comprising a second control means cooperating with said first control means and including a hook-shaped finger engageable with said loop on said other side of said workpiece for coacting with said first control means to control the quantity of thread drawn from said supply to form said loop. 
     
     
       14. The sewing machine defined in claim 13 wherein said second control means includes a pivotal arm and a rocker articulated to said arm for increasing the range of swing thereof. 
     
     
       15. The sewing machine defined in claim 14 wherein said thread supply is received in a rotatable support provided with a gripper engaging said loop and orbiting said thread supply.